Health experts are calling on children who were born prematurely to be treated as “special needs” pupils and to be monitored throughout primary school.
According to a recent study by the University of Warwick (UW), children born prior to 34 weeks have poorer reading and math skills compared to those born at full term. However, a report by the Nuffield Foundation (which commissioned the UW study) found that 8-out-of-10 teachers treat premature children just like any other pupil.
"Teachers and educational psychologists receive little formal training about the effects of pre-term birth on children’s long term development and learning and are often not aware of appropriate strategies to support pre-term children in the classroom,” explained Samantha Johnson from the University of Leicester, one of the experts involved in the report.
In fact, as the Telegraph reports, 80% of teachers and 50% of educational psychologists have not received formal training about the effects of pre-term births on development.
“Our findings lead us to recommend that all pre-term children born before 34 weeks of gestation may benefit from regular follow-up after discharge from hospital," Professor Dieter Wolke from the University of Warwick said.
“Interventions are required around the time of school entry to facilitate pre-term children to have an optimal start to their schooling career. Delayed school entry is not recommended on current evidence, but more research is needed.”